Multilanguage support

[Geert Bellekens]

It would be nice if EA would allow to configure different languages and allow each user-entered text field (including names of elements) to be translated in the configured languages.
This is a requirement that is common in multinationals and countries (like Belgium) that have multiple languages.
Although I hated having to work with Mega the last year, that was one of few advantages they have on EA.

[salayande]

I support this feature request. It should help product diffusion into otherwise difficult / closed markets.

[Eve]

I know that many users put the second language in the alias field.

[Geert Bellekens]

Yes that would work in some cases but:

• It only works for the names of the elements, not the notes
• Using the Alias only support two languages, and it doesn't allow you to specify which language is used on which field.

Our current workaround is to specify the different languages for the name in tagged-values like ENName/FRName/NLName
For the notes we use a workaround with an xml sort of tags
A typical not would look like this.
<NL>
<Description>
Dutch Description
</Description>
</NL>
<FR>
<Description>
French Description
</Description>
</FR>

As you can see this is far from ideal.

[stevesavage]

My current work around is using the API and tagged values.

5 main tagged values:

• CurrentLanguage: EN or FR
• Name_EN
• Name_FR
• Note_EN
• Note_FR

Assume that the element is currently in English.

• The user right clicks on the project browser and selects "Set to French" from the scripts.
• The scripts saves any changes to the current "English" version the _EN tagged values, loads the "French" as replacements, and sets the CurrentLanguage to FR.
• The user makes their changes.
• The user selects "Set to English"...

With this approach I can do the same for any other properties or tagged values that I need to have in multiple languages.

I've also be experimenting with using this approach for having French and English versions of attached documents by storing the RTF string in a tagged value's "Note" field.

[stevesavage]

I should also mention, I've started looking the new "workflow" scripts.

My plan:
Use the Security -> Manage Groups to create "language groups"
Users will only be in one group or the other.

When a member of the "French" group accesses an element's properties (if it's not locked), it is automatically changed to French by default.

Ditto for English.

[Eve]

Workflow scripts (intentionally) can't use the regular automation interface. So you won't be able to use them to swap between languages.

[stevesavage]

Thanks Simon, I guess it will have to stay as a manual process.

[Geert Bellekens]

You could still do that using a regular add-in.
If you use one of the Context Item Events (see help)

Geert